Across Every Ocean
by NightmareWalker
Summary: It's been two months, sixteen days, eleven hours, going on to the twelfth minute, that I haven't seen my wife. To say that I'm worried would be a gross understatement. Jade, where are you? Jori! Don't like, don't read. T for swearing, nothing major.


__Hey, all of you Jori lovers! This is my first Jori fic, but I have others in the works, just have to get a few more chapters into them before I release them to all of you lovely people ^o^ Just a small one-shot I wrote on the way home from a trip, when I was ready to come home and was thinking about everything I remembered about home and the people I love.

Meh, disregard my ramblings. Anywho, Enjoy!

* * *

_I love you, Tori, through every obstacle and across every ocean._

Thirteen paces down, pivot on my left heel, thirteen paces back. Repeat.

I pull a loose thread on my shirt absent mindedly, gaze locked on the horizon, cerulean merging with indigo in a beautiful and seamless transition. But I'm not looking at the sunset, my eyes are searching desperately for a dark speck, a particular shape amongst the waves and clouds. Nothing, for another day, there's no sign of the ship I desperately want to see. I open the door of the small balcony facing the sea and go indoors.

It's been two months, sixteen days, eleven hours, going on to the twelfth minute, that I haven't seen my wife. To say that I'm worried would be a gross understatement, considering this trip should have taken no longer than three weeks, five at the absolute longest.

_We're only running down the coast, Tori. Just taking some dry goods to Florida and bringing back spices. I'll be back before you know it._

I hadn't wanted her to go, had almost begged her to stay. But my pride, and the knowledge that she would stay if I had asked her, just to keep me happy, stilled my tongue. Instead, I wrapped my arms around her and whispered, "I'll be waiting, always." I gave her my necklace the day she left, setting the carved and smoothed stone between her breasts, still warm from laying against my skin.

"To make sure you come back, because this is very important to me. Someone I love made it, and I don't want it lost." She kissed my cheek and walked on board, never looking back.

_Why don't I ever look back? Because if I do, I won't want to leave you, Vega. The look on your face, even though you try so hard to be brave, is enough to break my heart._

She looked sad, tracing my jaw with a single finger and cupping my chin before drawing me into a kiss.

_Don't ever try acting, Vega, you wouldn't make it a minute. You wear every expression on your face for the world to see._

* * *

Three months, two days, fourteen hours, and thirty seven minutes. I go into town to buy groceries, and Ryder Daniels stops me as I leave the general store.

"Hey there, Victoria, why don't you say you and me go to the tavern and I buy you a meal? We could get to know each other better, you could come up to my rooms." He owns an auspicious tavern in the middle of town called _The Four Winds_ and has had his eyes on me as long as I can remember. The fact that his father and mine have agreed to marry my older sister to him never dissuades him from trying to 'get to know me,' and I have long given up trying to make him stop. It only makes him more determined, so I ignore him and walk by, beginning the half hour trip to our home by the ocean.

"Hey, don't be like that. Come on, it's not like either of us are married, and-"

"No, you're only engaged to my sister, and you're going to be married in three months!" I hiss, fingers gripping my purchases tightly to prevent myself from scratching at his face.

He shrugs, an eloquent and completely unhelpful gesture if ever there was one. "I'm not married yet, and I would much prefer you over Trina." He wiggles his brows lasciviously and I struggle not to shudder. Creep.

I pivot and walk away, muttering in spanish under my breath. His longer stride quickly catches mine and he grabs my shoulder, food spilling across the cobblestones.

"Don't walk away from me, Victoria. Why shouldn't I have you? You're beautiful, single, I've never even seen you walking with another man. You only ever seem to be with that harlot, Jadelyn-"

My hand strikes of it's own accord, leaving a livid red mark in it's wake on his cheek. He seems stunned that I have struck him, but a nasty light comes into his eyes and I find myself caught tightly in his arms. Before I can cry out, he drags me between two buildings and presses me against the wall, eyes dark with fury.

"You little bitch. Who the hell do you think you are? I own half of this town, and my family owns the other half. What do you think to accomplish by constantly turning me down?"

I curse him in my mind, wishing Jade were here. She was always the one to stop others from approaching us. But Jade isn't here, I have to get out of this myself. I gather saliva and spit in his face, using the momentary laxness to free myself and shove him back, the sound of his skull connecting with the brick echoing in the silence of the alleyway. I run out and quickly picked up my groceries, nearly running back to my house and locking the door. What have I done?

_Don't ever back down, Tori. Men will take complete advantage of your kindness and try to take you away. Get the first strike, get them down, and get the hell out of there. I want to be able to see your pretty face again._

* * *

Three months, seventeen days, twelve hours, three minutes. I stand before the judge and tell him what happened with Ryder. Apparently, when his head hit the wall, he suffered some injury. He has trouble recalling certain events now, although his recollection of our encounter is still vivid, although grossly skewed.

Even as I speak, my insides turn to lead and drop to my feet, immobilizing me. The judge is a friend of Ryder's father, I have few doubts who will come out on top in this case.

The judge hits his gavel agaisnt the polished oak and says in a deep intonation, "In the case of Vicotira Vega against Ryder Daniels, I find Mr. Daniels guilty of assault and issue a fine of fifty dollars, to be given to Ms. Vega for damage done to her person," the bruises, dark against my skin, and scrapes on my arms from being pushed against the wall, "and damage to any goods she bought on that day, the twentieth of July. Dismissed."

My jaw almost drops, but I keep my composure and walk in a dignified manner from the courthouse, swallowing at the dark look following me out the door. As I walk down the dirt road to my house, I can almost feel phantom arms around my waist, soft lips at my temple.

_Good for you, Tori. I'm so proud of you._

* * *

Four months, one day, two hours, five minutes. I pace the porch again, my eyes trained on the dark horizon, even though I know it's impossible to see something at this time of night. I can't help myself, this is the only way I can relax anymore. Half circles like bruises shade the underside of my eyes and my pants have grown baggy, but I still wait for the day Jade comes back. I twist the silver ring on the third finger of my left hand, remembering the day I received it.

_I know we can't be truly married because people are ignorant pigs, but I would like you to wear this. Would you be my wife, Tori?_

She had smiled her usual smirk, but I could still see the nervous anticipation behind her cerulean eyes, so like the ocean she loved to be on. I had taken the ring from her hand and placed it on the third finger of my left hand before kissing her soundly, taking the smirk from her lips.

I kiss the ring now, over the engraving of a flying albatross that had been skillfully etched into the metal. I had gotten her one of her own that same day, but with three leaves that seemed to be in perpetual motion etched into it. She had strung it on a chain and put it around her neck, silver gleaming dully against her pale skin when she left her shirt open and walked over to kiss me.

_I love you Tori, never forget that._

* * *

Five months, four days, twenty one hours, six minutes. The fall leaves are beautiful, fluttering to the ground like crazy, out of control dancers. Jade always said that I danced like one of those leaves, but I would catch her staring sometimes, eyes trained on me as I twirled amongst the bright colors.

Now, though, they just remind me of how long she's been gone. I catch a bright red leaf, twirling its stem idly and tracing the veins running through the leaf. Jade always liked the red ones best.

_It's like the trees are bleeding, dying. They lose their leaves like drops of blood, scattering around their bodies while they go into a coma. But with you dancing in the center of it all, it's like instead they're celebrating the chance to sleep for a while after being awake for so long._

I let the breeze take the leaf from my grasp, standing and brushing the dirt from my pants before kicking up a pile of fallen leaves and whirling madly amongst them, hair whipping around my head and a laugh bubbling up even as tears threaten to escape. I can feel Jade's arms wrap around my abdomen as I lean against the maple tree where we first kissed, where she first saw me dancing, pressing me gently against the trunk with her weight, words whispered into my ear on the breeze.

_Don't stop dancing, Tori._

* * *

Six months, twenty seven days, six hours, thirteen minutes. All Hallow Eve, the last day of October. Jade loves this day, she spends the whole of her time carving demon faces into pumpkins and lighting candles within them. The first time she did that, I nearly had a heart attack.

_Damn it Jade, what is that?_

She had cackled, happy in her attempt to scare me, and kissed my cheek, explaining the origins of pumpkin carving. I just shook my head and pulled a strand of her dark hair, prompting a dark look. This led to a chase around the house that spilled outside, and my eyes follow the phantom trail as I drink my coffee.

A spark of light catches my eyes, half hidden behind the tree in our front yard. Curious, I walk out and nearly scream as a demonic face leers at me from atop a large root. Who...? I look around but see no one in the area and slowly head back into the house, not without a few backwards glances. The rest of the day follows a similar pattern, with carved pumpkins appearing out of thin air between the time I leave a room and reenter it. By the time I go to sleep, I've exhausted my mind trying to think of who is able to get into my house without me seeing or hearing them, and fall into a restless sleep.

_The carvings are supposed to protect people from evil spirits, Tori. They keep them safe in their homes and light the way so they always know where they're going. These will keep you safe and always lead you back to me, you know?_

* * *

Six months, twenty eight days, five hours, thirty seven minutes. I wake early to some odd sound, although a quick glance around our bedroom shows no one in it. Dressing quickly, I grab Jade's pistol from her dresser and creep downstairs, listening for the smallest sound. As I enter the kitchen, a shadow detaches itself from the morning gloom and encapsules me in its strong arms. Although I fight, kicking and scratching, my captor merely holds me tighter to their chest and whispers, "God, how I've missed you, Tori."

The pistol nearly drops from my nerveless fingers until she takes it and sets it on the table, still behind me. I can hear her quiet breath by my ear, feel the way her small, calloused hands have spread themselves across my belly in a familiar and intimate way, and a shudder runs through my body.

"Jade...?" The words have barely escaped my lips before I'm suddenly turned around and soft, long missed lips press against mine. I melt into her arms, pressing as close as I can get, as though I can fuse myself to her if I get close enough. Hands grip with bruising force, weave through hair and tug, hold our faces together until we break apart and gasp for air. I don't dare let my eyes travel upward, lest it turn out I'm dreaming again.

"Tori, why won't you look at me?" God, the sound of her voice nearly undoes me and I swallow thickly, once, twice.

"Please don't let this be another dream, I can't look at you again, kiss you again, just to wake up in our empty bed." My hands have fisted themselves in her dark shirt as an anchor to keep myself sane while I gather my courage. My eyes slowly travel from the safety of her coarse shirt, up to the column of her neck, sweeps of dark hair falling over shoulders still pale even after countless hours in the sun. I trace the angle of her jaw, the line of her nose above full, dark lips, wetting my own before venturing a gaze above that soft skin, now upturned in a smile that makes me feel light headed.

I look into cerulean eyes that are bright in ecstasy, now ravenously running my eyes over her features. Her fine, dark brows that sport a new piercing, how her eyes have begun their own travels over my brow, my lips, my neck. We embrace again and I tangle my hands into her hair, nearly crying in my relief.

"Jade, how-when-"

"I'll tell you everything soon, Tori, but right now I just want to hold you. I've missed you so damn much."

"God, I've missed you too, Jade."

She leans back and reaches behind her head, fumbling with the chain before setting the necklace back over my head and pressing her hand to the stone between my breasts. "I'm sorry it took so long, but I'm back now. I love you, Tori." She kisses me again and I press my hand to her chest where I can feel her ring.

"I love you Jade, through every obstacle and across every ocean. Welcome home."

* * *

*Sniffles* Well, that was a sappy ending, but a good one, right? _Right?_ ^.^; Let me know what you think about it, and don't hesitate to bring your ideas to me if you want me to write something else! Adios!


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